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Malia Obama, the eldest daughter of former US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, has officially removed the 'Obama' surname from her professional identity and now her mother has opened up about the personal reasoning behind this headline-making decision.
The 26-year-old, who made her directorial debut with the short film ‘The Heart’ at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024, chose to be credited as ‘Malia Anne’ her first and middle names in an effort to carve out her own space in the creative world.
Malia, who started in film, I mean, her first project, she took off her last name, Michelle Obama said in a recent interview on the 'Sibling Rivalry' podcast hosted by Kate and Oliver Hudson.
A mother's insight
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Michelle explained that both Malia and her younger sister Sasha, 23, are in a season of self-discovery, actively working to define themselves beyond the legacy of their famous family.
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Malia Ann Obama attends the "The Heart" premiere during the 2024 Sundance Film Festival at Prospector Square Theatre on January 18, 2024.Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
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They are young adult women, but they went through a period in their teen years where it was the push away, Michelle noted.
They’re still doing that. You’re trying to distinguish yourself. It’s important for my kids to feel like they’ve earned what they are getting in the world.
She added that her daughters are very sensitive to public perception and do not want to be seen as merely riding on their parents’ accomplishments.
They don’t want people to assume they don’t work hard, that they’re just naturally handed things. They want to be their people.
Barack Obama’s reaction
Former President Barack Obama also weighed in on the decision during an appearance on The Pivot podcast in October 2024, where he joked about Malia’s attempt to keep her identity under wraps.
You do know they’ll know who you are, right? he recalled telling his daughter. Malia’s response was strikingly clear: I want them to watch it that first time and not in any way have that association.
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Despite the humour, Barack expressed pride in his daughter's independent spirit, noting that her film had already made its way to Sundance and other fancy film festivals.
A creative vision
According to Sundance’s official description, ‘The Heart’ tells the story of a lonely man grieving the loss of his mother, who leaves him an unusual request in her will.
In a 'Meet the Artist' video, Malia called it 'an odd little story' and hoped viewers would “feel a bit less lonely” or be reminded “not to forget about the people who are.”
Following in Michelle’s footsteps
Interestingly, Malia's decision mirrors a subtle transformation her mother is undergoing. Now 61, Michelle Obama revealed that she too is stepping back from public expectations and choosing a more independent lifestyle.
I now have the opportunity to control my own calendar. I could have made a lot of these decisions years ago, but I didn’t give myself that freedom, she said, reflecting on how life has shifted now that her daughters are grown.
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Michelle Obama
Her absence from several high-profile events including former President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral in January.